On a frigid, wet night, regulation was not enough time to decide the Lady Cherokees CCS opening playoff game against visiting San Benito. Neither were two overtime periods. It took a tense penalty-kick session and five perfect strikes before 7th-seeded Sequoia could secure their first CCS win in school history. When SR Mady Fitzgerald banged home the 5th and final penalty, the Sequoia bench erupted and raced to midfield where the entire team celebrated jubilantly.

“This is the team that could make history. I knew they had it in them and they did it,” raved Sequoia Head Coach Melissa Schmidt. “I’m so proud and so happy that these girls get to remember this moment for a long time.” Schmidt also lauded the play of JR forward Sara Osorio who made several threatening runs through the Haybaler defense, and JR fullback Bailey McKeon who was a stalwart on defense. Fitzgerald may have provided the most inspirational performance, as she returned following two missed weeks due to an ankle injury suffered in the league-clinching victory against San Mateo. Fitzgerald played the entire 100 minutes before hammering home the game winner.